Passing the Torch Back?
by ChargeBFX
Summary: An AU MMPR fic that takes place a few months after Turbo: APRM. After their ordeal in Divatox's dungeon, Kim and Jason have returned home to start a life together, when their friends sans Billy & Justin return bearing a special gift... Ch. 7 up, FINALLY!
1. Passing the Torch Back?

I hope you'll forgive me if the characterizations aren't exactly right. I haven't watched MMPR in a long time.

**Passing the Torch… Back?**

"Thank you for doing this. There's no one else we could trust to safeguard these while they're not being used."

Jason nodded grimly as he accepted from Katherine the ornately carved wooden box that contained the original five Power Coins that had given Earth's first Power Rangers their incredible powers. The blond-haired woman stepped back to join Rocky, Adam, Aisha, and Tommy, who had all formed a loose semi-circle around Jason. They were behind Jason's home on his private beach, having chosen to meet here for the privacy the little beach provided them.

"I'm happy to do it, guys," he told his friends. "You know you can always trust me."

Now it was Tommy's turn to nod, and he placed his hand on Jason's shoulder. "And Jase, if anything happens, don't hesitate to use them."

Of course, "anything" didn't mean just _anything_. It didn't mean that he should use the power to foil a bank robbery or help an old lady across the street. Jason knew what "anything" meant. It meant if danger struck. If beings from another world came to do harm to his planet. Once again Jason Lee Scott had the power to fight them within his grasp. The pride he had always felt as a Power Ranger returned now to make his chest swell slightly.

"Hey," Rocky said then, trying to lighten the heavy mood, "while we're here, why don't we have a cookout or something?"

The others all chimed in with their own statements about how great that sounded, and what kinds of food they wanted cooked on the grill. Jason just laughed to himself and shook his head, throwing a mock-glare Rocky's way.

"There you go… First you take my spot"—meaning his spot on the Power Rangers—"and now you just decide you're going to have a cookout at _my_ house," Jason joked.

"Hey!" Rocky looked indignant for a second. "You _gave up_ your spot, pal."

Jason thumped his predecessor lightly on the chest with his fist and began to lead them up toward the house, the whole group talking and laughing amongst themselves, just like old times. Some things may change, but some things never did, Jason realized, and he was glad for that. It felt good to have them there.

Inside the house, however, a pair of eyes watched the group, their owner half-hidden behind the curtains. No one seemed to look up, or they might have noticed the look of concern on Kimberly's face.

…

Kimberly's heart leapt into her throat when she saw Jason being handed the box, and it wasn't a good feeling. While it was true that being a Power Ranger was the best thing that had ever happened to her, and while it was also true that she had been reluctant to give it up, she had had a good reason for doing so. An important reason. Jason's reason was just as important, she knew. Now she had a great job as a gymnastics instructor, and Jason was finally getting around to starting up his first karate school. They were building a great life together. To bring the Power Rangers back into that… somehow, she had the sinking feeling that being a Power Ranger again would tear apart all that they had worked for.

She knew what Jason was thinking. Here was his chance to be a hero again. The first sign of danger would be his excuse to use the Tyrannosaurus Power Coin and become the Red Ranger, and then she would lose him. She just _knew_ it. It couldn't be any other way.

_Stop it, Kimberly,_ she told herself. _You were always the positive one. It isn't like you to be so cynical._

But she couldn't help it. She'd grown, she'd changed, and more than that, she'd become accustomed to this new life. She was more attached to it than she could have been to being a Ranger. "Far beyond the call of duty," was what Zordon had said. That meant their time was over. Time to step down. She had to convince Jason to let go.

The screen door out back creaked open, and Kim heard the ruckus of happy voices and pounding feet as the troop entered the house. Standing in the door between the living room and the main hallway, she crossed her arms in front of her stomach and waited for Jason to appear. When he did, she caught his eye with a worried look.

"Kim? What is it?" he asked.

"Jason… We need to talk."


	2. The More Things Change

Since a few people seemed to have seen me coming on this story, I've decided to challenge myself to write it a bit differently than I had originally intended to. Still, some things remain fact… Or do they?

**The More Things Change…**

"We're not those people anymore."

Kim was staring out the window again, with her arms still held across her stomach. A part of her hated that she was having this conversation with Jason while all their friends were over, but another part of her felt that it was necessary regardless of the timing.

Jason sighed to himself and stepped up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. The sun was setting, and they could see each other's reflections dimly in the window glass. Their eyes met, and Kim allowed herself a small smile.

"Kim, this is a chance to be a part of that world again. To be a Ranger again. Don't you remember how good that felt? Helping people? Being a part of something?" It was easy to see that Jason wanted more than anything to whip out a Power Morpher, shout "Tyrannosaurus!" and run off to fight the evils of the world. And the sooner, the better.

"Those times are over for us, Jason." Kim turned around, and her hands came to rest upon his chest as she looked up into his eyes again. "We have lives that don't involve putting ourselves in danger every day. And I like it that way. It's a better environment to have a relationship in. A better environment to raise a family in."

"Raise a family?" Jason asked, looking a little shocked.

"Never mind about that," Kim responded. "But I do need to tell you something."

"What is it? C'mon, Kim, you know you can tell me anything." Jason tried not to let his concern show, but he usually had trouble keeping his feelings from showing in his facial expressions, especially when something might be wrong with Kimberly.

"Well, two of my girls made it passed nationals," Kim said with a smile, perking up a little. It was hard to be morose with such exciting news to report. "They might be able to qualify for the Olympics!"

"Really?" Kim's smile excitement was infectious, and Jason felt his own mouth turning up in a smile. He threw his arms around her, hugging her tight. "That's great! So are you gonna be their trainer for that, or what?"

"Well, me and some of the other instructors," Kim admitted. "But do you see why I can't be a Power Ranger again? Gymnastics has always been important to me, and to be able to train these girls means a lot right now."

Jason nodded. "Yeah, I know. To be honest, there's no guarantee that anyone will ever use those coins again. The guys just want me to safeguard them. And if there's a call to use them, maybe we can find someone else who's worthy."

Now it was Kim's turn to sigh, dropping her shoulders a little in relief. She draped her arms over his shoulders, clasping her hands loosely behind his neck. "Well, that's good. I don't want to have to worry about you like that. Have I told you I loved you today?"

"Not enough." He grinned, and leaned in to kiss her. "Now come on. Our friends are waiting."

Hand in hand, they walked out onto the back porch.

"Hey, guys," Jason said, "Kimberly's got some great news!"

While Kim told her story and passed out drinks to everyone, Jason lit a few tiki torches and stuck them in the sand below the porch, then fired up the grill and threw some meat on. Placing his hands on his hips, Jason watched his friends all conversing together and heaved a deep sigh of contentment. Maybe Kim was right. Maybe this really was all they needed…


	3. Re Entry

This part was kind of difficult for me to write. It may be subject to a revision at a later date. I really hope you guys like it.

**Re-Entry**

The tiki torches burned long into the night, and when the friends all returned to their respective homes and beds, they did so with full bellies and happy hearts. The next day turned out to be bright, sunny, and cloudless, and many people in Angel Grove turned out at the park, walking dogs, jogging, throwing Frisbees, and having picnics. Jason and Kim had slept in a couple hours before going to the park themselves, and now walked hand-in-hand along the sidewalk, talking and laughing without a care in the world.

Meanwhile, millions of miles away, a small comet wreathed in golden fire hurtled towards Earth. It was about the size of a tall man, and even seemed to take the shape of a man, though it appeared to be made of molten rock and metal rather than flesh. The comet shot toward Earth at breakneck speed, its fire seeming to intensify as it entered the planet's atmosphere.

People in the park began to point at the sky, some screaming, some turning the other way and running for cover. The commotion reached Kimberly and Jason, forcing them to tear their attention away from each other. They both shot quick glances at the frightened people in the park, and then looked up just in time to see the man-sized meteor rocket over their heads. The ground shook. Where the comet had struck the earth, a huge crater had been formed, maybe a hundred feet in diameter.

The two former Power Rangers took one quick look at each other, nodded, and ran towards the crater. A black, charred hand rose up out of the hole and slapped down on the ground, then another, and an equally charred body pulled itself up out of the crater to lie on the ground, panting heavily. Jason and Kim came to a halt several feet away when they saw what remained of a pair of feathery wings sprouting from the creature's back, and the indestructible golden armor that covered most of its body.

"Goldar…" Jason whispered, instinctively pushing his loved one behind himself to protect her.

"Wh-what's he doing here?" Kim asked, standing on her tiptoes to look over Jason's shoulder.

"I don't know. Zordon's energy wave should have turned him to dust."

The decimated form of their old foe slowly rose to his feet. It seemed to take a lot of effort, and when he finally made it, he stood for a few moments and struggled for a breath. He had no skin, no hair, and no eyes. The two lovers watched in horror as the burned flesh of Goldar's face flaked away, and new muscles and tendons formed. Nerves and nerve endings grew inside his eye sockets, and two large white eyes formed at those nerve endings, gaining irises and pupils. The eyes rolled around in their sockets for a few moments before focusing on the ex-Rangers.

"You…" Goldar's voice was a raspy half-whisper.

"What are you doing back, Goldar?" Jason demanded. "Didn't you learn your lesson the last time?"

"Revenge…" was all their old enemy seemed able to manage. His wings had almost fully reformed, and he leapt into the air. His wings began to flap awkwardly, and he turned away from them, probably heading for some hidden retreat where he could rest and heal.

With narrowed eyes, Jason watched Goldar's labored flight until he could no longer see the evil creature in the sky. Kimberly's hands were on his shoulders, and she was gripping him harder than he had realized.

"If he's back," Kimberly began, "does that mean…"

Jason clenched his fists at his sides. "It means that maybe some things happen for a reason. It means that somehow, Tommy knew we might need those coins. And it means that Angel Grove needs the Power Rangers again."

Kim moved to stand beside him again, wrapping her arm around his waist. She tried not to let her worry show, but seeing Goldar again had terrified her. The return of their old enemy threatened everything she held dear. Not just her career and her life with Jason, but many things, most of which she hadn't even given voice to yet. And though Jason had promised not to take up the Tyrannosaurus Power Coin again, Kim knew the temptation was there, and she wasn't sure if she could bear to deal with him risking his life on a constant basis.

"Come on," Jason said, snapping Kim out of her reverie. "We have to call Tommy."


	4. Preparations

Okay, so… I've already done some ret conning in this story by having Zordon's energy wave happen directly after Zeo instead of after PRiS. Now here's a little more: in Zyuranger, Goldar and Scorpina's counterparts were married, and in this story it's going to be as if they always were in MMPR, too. Enjoy, and sorry for the delay!

**Preparations**

"I'm sorry, man," Tommy said over the phone. "I'd like to help you, but somehow Divatox and her minions managed to escape when we defeated Maligore. I've got my hands full over here."

Jason sighed, then nodded, even though he knew Tommy couldn't see it. "Yeah, it's okay. I just… I was hoping you might know some good candidates, but if you're tied up you probably haven't done much recruiting, huh?"

"No. I wish I could. How easy would this be if we had an army of Power Rangers to fight these armies of bad guys?"

"Yeah, tell me about it." Jason laughed. "Well, I'll figure something out, I guess. Let's get together again if you get a little free time."

"Totally, bro. Last night was a lot of fun."

Jason could hear the smile in Tommy's voice, and couldn't help but grin himself. "Yeah, it was. Dude, Rocky gets a little nuts after he has a few."

"Yeah, he's funny. Hey, I hate to do this to you, but I've gotta run. I just saw a bunch of Piranhatron run down the street."

"No, it's okay, I understand. Go to it, man." They said their goodbyes, and Jason hung up the phone. He stood there for a minute, staring off into space with his arms crossed over his chest. What was he going to do now?

"Any luck?"

Kim's voice brought him around, and he turned to face her, shaking his head.

"No," he said. "But I didn't expect anything."

Kimberly nodded once. "Okay, so… we're on our own with this."

"Yeah, I have a few people in mind. With it being Sunday, I don't wanna bother them, but I'll talk to them during my karate class tomorrow."

"Well, with the way Goldar looked, I think it'll be a while since he tries anything, anyway. Why don't we try to enjoy the quiet while it lasts?"

Upon hearing Kim's suggestion, Jason's face broke out in a huge grin. There was his usual, optimistic Kimmy. She hadn't been around much the last few days, and he was glad she was back.

"Well, what do you propose we do for fun?" he asked her.

Kim returned his grin as she replied, "Oh, I'm sure I can think of something."

…

Goldar reached the mountains outside of Angel Grove and came to a landing at the entrance to a large cave. The mouth of the cave was dark, but as he entered a series of torches along the wall sprang to life of their own accord. The entire inside of the mountain had been made into a sort of lair, with several rooms branching off the main tunnel. The other end of the tunnel opened into a depression, with concentric circles around the perimeter to form steps, which led to a stage the size of a basketball court. Goldar looked upon the empty meeting-room-slash-arena with pride. He hadn't been let down.

The eight-foot-tall monster turned back to the tunnel and entered the room closest to the entrance. As before, torches in the room burst aflame automatically, and this time the sight gave Goldar a start. Scorpions were everywhere. Thousands of them, all over the walls, floor, ceiling; their black bodies glistened in the torchlight, and their feet made little skittering sounds as the arachnids climbed over and around each other. It wouldn't have startled him normally, but he'd been away a long time, and he hadn't expected to come home to such a sight. While he watched, a few hundred of the scorpions swarmed together, forming a humanoid figure, then seemed to almost melt together, becoming flesh and blood and bone.

Scorpina smiled warmly at her husband. "My love, you've returned to us."

"Are the preparations complete?" Goldar asked.

"Yes, darling," she answered, "our forces are ready to move at your word."

"Then why didn't I see any minions?" he demanded, drawing his huge golden broadsword and shaking it at her. "I need an army if I'm to take my revenge on those wretched Power Rangers!"

"They are right here." Scorpina gestured to the scorpions still roaming about the room.

"These are not minions, these are pests!" Goldar's eyes flashed —appropriately— gold with anger. How could she have made such a grievous error in judgment? It didn't seem like her.

Scorpina threw him a hurt look. "Watch how you speak about my precious children, love."

With that, she made another gesture, and three of the scorpions began to grow in size. Their legs melded together until they only had two of each and two arms, and their chitinous torsos took on a shape similar to those a bodybuilder might sport. They kept their tails, but their heads were almost humanoid except for the enormous pairs of mandibles that jutted from their jaws. Their fingers ended in vicious claws, and the two toes on each foot possessed talons that looked even more deadly.

Goldar's black lips curled back in a wicked smile, and he shuffled forward, pushing aside waves of arachnids to get close to the warriors his wife had created. He reached a cautious hand out and curled it around a stinger that looked like it could puncture the hood of a car, drawing it close so he could inspect it clearly. "Excellent. I can imagine how potent their venom might be. What do you call them?"

"They do not have a name, but if you must give them one, call them what they are: Black Scorpions."

"Perfect. You have done well, my bride."

Scorpina beamed, proud of herself. Just then Goldar staggered, falling to one knee, a several of his minions-in-disguise crushing beneath his weight with a sickening crunch. Scorpina moved forward and knelt carefully before him.

"My love, are you all right?" she asked, concern showing on her face.

"Yes, I'll be fine, I'm just not fully regenerated." He lifted his sword and stuck the point into the ground, then leaned on the weapon as a crutch to help him rise to his feet again.

Scorpina stood with him. "Then rest, husband, and when you are well, we will take our revenge…"


	5. Differing Shades of Red

Lyrics are from "Given Up" by Linkin Park, and are used without permission. This one's long, and moves a bit slow, but it's a necessary chapter. A note on why some of the technology doesn't meet today's standards: as stated in the story description, this takes place a few months after Turbo: APRM, which came out in 1997. So Xander's car is actually a pretty hot piece of machinery, and the Playstation One is cutting edge.

**Different Shades of Red**

I've given up

I'm sick of feeling

Is there nothing you can say?

Take this all away

I'm suffocating

Tell me what the fck is wrong

With me

Xander Whitewater's cherry red '92 Nissan 300ZX screeched to a halt in Jason's semicircular driveway, radio blasting. The teen set the car in park, switched of the ignition, and pushed his sunglasses up onto his forehead before launching himself over the driver's side door to land in a crouch on the pavement. He straightened and brushed himself off, then headed to the door.

Jason had heard the radio from inside, and was in the process of opening the door just as his student reached the top porch step. Jason stepped out onto the porch and shook the younger man's hand, smiling warmly at him.

"Hey, Sensei," Xander greeted him, returning the handshake, his grip firm and confident. The teen's russet skin, chiseled jaw, black hair, and dark eyes gave away his Native American heritage, and when he smiled it was with two rows of perfect white teeth. Like most people his age, he often liked to hang baggy clothes off his muscular frame. Today he had chosen an unbuttoned red flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, worn over a white tank top. Khaki cargo pants and a pair of hiking books completed the look, staking his claim at the height of fashion without having to put in a lot of effort.

"How's it goin', Xander?" Jason gave his pupil a fond clap on the shoulder and gestured for him to enter the house. "C'mon in."

"Sure." Xander had been to Jason's house several times, mainly when Jason wanted to give his students a change of pace in their training. However, most of that training had been down on the beach, and none of them had ever gotten to see much of the inside. Still, he had been inside enough to know that he should take off his shoes before entering the house proper, and he set them next to Kim's tiny white sneakers on a rubber mat beside the door.

The house that Jason and Kim called home had one story and three bedrooms; your basic beachfront bungalow. All three of the bedrooms were centered on the living room. The largest bedroom was of course the master bedroom, and had its own bathroom, but for privacy's sake the couple kept the door closed whenever company was over. The next-largest room had been remodeled into a dojo, mainly for Jason's personal use. The floor was hardwood, and floor-to-ceiling mirrors made up the entire far wall. Just inside the door on the left was a rack of weapons, and a large rolled-up rubber mat rested against the wall beyond. The third bedroom was a guest room that Kimberly kept in pristine condition, refusing to let dust settle on the furniture for even a day. The door to that room stayed open, as Kim liked to advertise her handiwork. Who could blame her when she spent so much time on it?

Xander's attention was instantly drawn to the dojo. He was passionately devoted to his karate training, and though the room was simple, he couldn't tear his eyes away or take his mind off the opportunity to train in there. Jason suppressed a chuckle as he noted his student's interest. Most people liked the living room, with the fifty-two inch projection-screen TV and the comfy white couch and loveseat, but it didn't surprise him that Xander preferred the dojo. That was why he'd asked him here, after all.

The kitchen was sort of an extension off the living room, though it somehow still seemed like its own room. Instead of soft white carpeting, the floor in the kitchen was tile, and a small counter further separated the two rooms, though the stools that the couple sat on to eat their lunches were on the living room side.

Kim was standing in the kitchen now, intent on stirring a mug of hot chocolate, the aroma of which was intoxicating. She had her hair in a ponytail and was dressed in just a simple t-shirt and shorts, since she and Jason didn't have to be anywhere. She looked up as the two men entered and smiled. "Hi, Xander! Do you want some cocoa? It's Swiss Miss. My favorite!"

"Huh?" Xander jerked his attention back to the present and looked at Kim. "Oh, no thanks." He shook his head, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and looked around for Jason, who had crossed to the TV to switch off his game of _Crash Bandicoot_. The teen was a bit out of his element here, and it made him uncomfortable, especially since he didn't have any fellow karateka to share the experience with. He relaxed visibly when Jason beckoned for him to enter the dojo.

With the men out of the room, Kimberly seated herself on the couch, tucking her legs underneath her. She picked up the remote and pointed it at the TV, calling out, "Keep it down please, sweetie? This is an important episode."

Jason just chuckled to himself and shook his head. He didn't much care for soap operas, but Kim seemed to eat that stuff up. Every couple needed their time apart, he figured, and the time Kim spent watching soaps was time he could spend on his own hobbies.

Xander watched with interest as Jason lifted a sword from the weapon rack. Jason held the sword with one hand beneath the hilt and the other beneath the blade, both palms up, and held it out to Xander. Xander accepted the weapon in similar fashion, holding both hands out so the sword could be lowered into them. Both men bowed, exchanging the weapon in the ceremonial fashion used by martial artists. Then they straightened, and Xander took a few steps back and took hold of the hilt, holding the sword in front of him so he could examine it.

The blade was wider than that of a katana, shaped like an elongated triangle. Jason had bought it because it reminded him if the sword he had used as a Power Ranger. It looked very similar, and the weight and balance of it were almost the same. Xander gave the sword a few experimental twirls, then nodded in appreciation for the finely crafted blade.

"Nice," he said. "Is this why you wanted me here? To show me this?"

"Sort of," Jason responded. "We can talk about that in a minute. First, show me Kendo Shodan."

"With this sword? I'll try." Xander stood at attention, holding the sword as though he was about to withdraw it from a sheath at his belt. "Kendo Shodan, First Sword Technique!"

He bowed, then proceeded to go through the movements of the kata. Jason stood at a safe distance and watched with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Normally he would have called out corrections, but today he just wanted to observe. The teen's movements were fluid and precise, despite the extra weight of a sword he wasn't used to using. When he finished, Jason took the sword back, replacing it on the rack. He smiled and clapped his student on the shoulder. "That was good! Using a different sword didn't seem to bother you much."

"Not really, but I can feel it in my arms. They're gonna be sore tomorrow!" Xander laughed, but then his expression turned serious. "Seriously, Sensei, what's this all about?"

"C'mon," Jason said, and beckoned for Xander to follow.

The two men went out and sat on the back porch, where Jason began to tell Xander about his days as a Power Ranger, starting with being given the Power Coins and continuing all the way up to the events of the last few days. Xander's shocked expression faded to one of awe as he listened, and soon he began to interject with questions where he needed clarification or found something particularly interesting. Jason answered all his questions patiently, and when he was finished with his story he sat all the way back in his chair and spread his arms, saying, "And here we are, man."

"So…" Xander took a moment to mull over everything, choosing his words carefully. "If I understand you right… You want me to be a new Power Ranger?"

"One of them, yeah," Jason admitted. "It's a big decision, I know. You can sleep on it if you want."

"What's to sleep on? Who wouldn't wanna be a Power Ranger?"

Jason laughed. "I had a feeling you'd say that. Wait here."

He stood and went inside. Xander was tense with anticipation, and he glanced around nervously. They had been out here for a while, and the sun was beginning to set, casting magnificent orange and purple hues across the ocean waves. It was mostly silent except for the gentle rush of the waves against the shore, and the occasional seagull's call. The sound of the screen door opening was loud in comparison, causing him to look up. Jason was carrying something in his hand. It looked like an oversized silver belt buckle with an ornate gold coin in the center. He held it out to Xander, who took it carefully, as if he were afraid it would shatter into a million pieces if he wasn't careful.

"This is your Power Morpher," Jason explained. "You hold it out like this—" he demonstrated the motion he and the others had used to transform into Power Rangers—"and call out the name of the dinosaur on your coin. Now, there are a few other things we need to talk about…"


	6. Back In Action!

Finally, huh? Don't ask me why, but I wanted to have a "male Tori" type character in this one… Not that he turned out that way. I don't think he did, really.

**Back to Action!**

Corey Hart wasn't your typical surfer dude. Despite the short, unruly blond hair, sparkling blue eyes, and the kind of tan only a beach bum could achieve, Kimberly's teenaged cousin wasn't all that he seemed. He didn't even really speak like a surfer. When he wasn't catching a wave or spending time with his friends, he usually had his nose in a book, sci-fi or fantasy more often than not.

His best friend, Garrett Wilson, was almost as big of a sci-fi fan as Corey was. In fact, when they walked out of the bookstore into the bright afternoon sunlight, Garrett was already thumbing through an inch-thick _Akira_ manga. The dark-skinned boy's green eyes were alight with excitement as they scanned the pages. "Dude, this war between Akira and Tetsuro is getting _crazy_!"

"Cool, maybe I'll read it when you're done."

Though the two friends had similar tastes, the two friends differed greatly in appearance. Corey often dressed like a surfer – today's attire consisted of a black tank top, board shorts, and a pair of sandles. Garrett, on the other hand, had on a simple blue T-shirt with a black Japanese character over the left breast, a pair of denim blue jeans, and white low-top sneakers. The two of them walked along the sidewalk, talking and jostling each other, with Garrett occasionally pointing out a series of manga panels he thought was particularly cool or interesting.

There were quite a few people out at this time of day, and most were able to weave around the two teens without complaint. They decided to take a shortcut through the park, which added pretty girls to the list of distractions to keep them from paying attention to where they were going. Garrett was doubled over with laughter at a joke Corey had just told, and didn't see his friend stop short, though he felt the blond boy's fingers grasp his collar and yank him up straight.

Garrett couldn't believe his eyes. Barring their way was a row of grey figures, waving their arms and shifting their weight back and forth on the balls of their feet. They looked almost human, except for the cracked-clay appearance of their faces and hands, and the silver harnesses they wore over their chests, which were embossed with the letter Z. The sound they made was deafening, a strange gurgling that sounded like a cross between a ghostly moan and the babbling of a forest stream.

As the two friends watched, frozen in shock, the grey figures began to fan out, forming a circle so the boys wouldn't be able to escape. The Z-Putties then rushed forward to attack all at once. The teens would be overwhelmed in a matter of seconds if they didn't recover and fight back.

Suddenly a red-and-white streak flashed between the Z-Putties and their quarry. Sparks flew, and several of the Putties fell to the ground in fits of violent twitching, then burst into pieces and disappeared. The Red Power Ranger seemed to dance amongst those remaining, his sword slashing out, almost too fast for the naked eye. Several more Putties fell in his wake, and several of them turned away from Garrett and Corey to attack this new foe instead.

"Hit 'em in the Z!" the Red Ranger shouted, still pressing his attack. "It's the only way you'll be able to defeat them!"

The boys seemed a little dazed by what was happening, but Garrett was able to snap out of it with some effort. He was just in time, too, as a large clay fist swung towards his friend's face. He pushed Corey out of the way and ducked beneath the flailing arm, striking out with his own fist at the large Z on the Putty's chest. It fell to the ground, twitching and breaking apart just like the others had.

Corey had landed hard on his backside, and the impact seemed to have yanked him out of his haze. He jumped to his feet and took up a fighting stance. "Sorry man, I was out of it, there."

Garrett nodded, adopting a stance of his own. "It's all good. Now let's kick some butt!"

It so happened that both boys were promising martial artists, and they could hold their own pretty well against human opponents. The Z-Putties were just average fighters, but had superhuman strength and speed on their side, and could rely on strength in numbers if they had to. Quite a few went down under the teens' assault, but they were tireless enemies, and the two humans could only fight for so long, even with a Power Ranger to help.

Garrett took a club-like clay fist to the side of his head and went sprawling. Corey turned to check on his friend, only to receive a vicious kick to the back that knocked him to the ground as well. The Putties pressed their advantage. All at once the Red Ranger was standing over them, brandishing his sword menacingly to keep the foes at bay. He took a hand off the hilt of the Power Sword just long enough to unhook a pair of extra Power Morphers from his belt, handing one to each of the prone teenagers. They rose shakily to their feet, staring at the objects they now held.

"Is this what I think it is?" Corey asked, to which the Red Ranger only nodded, before continuing his attack.

The boys shared a look and a grin.

"This is gonna be so cool!" Garrett exclaimed. "It's Morphin' Time!"

"Mastodon!"

"Triceratops!"

There was a bright flash of light, and the Black Ranger and Blue Ranger stood now in Corey and Garrett's respective places. Summoning their Power Weapons, they jumped back into the fray, and in no time the three Rangers had made short work of the remaining Z-Putties. As the last remnants of their fallen foes disappeared, the two new Rangers approached the mysterious Red Ranger.

"That was amazing! I never thought I'd see these suits again, let alone be wearing one," said Corey.

Garrett nodded his agreement, then gestured toward the Red Ranger. "Yeah, but who are you?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you yet," the unknown Ranger replied. "Get to Corey's cousin's house as soon as possible, and you'll learn everything you need to know. My work's not done yet."

And before they could ask anymore questions, the Red Ranger touched both hands to his Morpher and teleported away. Garrett and Corey looked around, making sure they were alone, and then shed their Ranger guises.

"Dude," Garrett said, "are we Power Rangers now?"

"I think so, but who _was_ that?" Corey asked again. "And what did he mean when he said his work wasn't finished?"

"I don't know, but I think we better get over to your cousin's house, like he said."

The two glanced at each other, nodded in unison, and headed off in the direction of Kim and Jason's.


	7. Some Bumps In The Road

Some Bumps in the Road

**Some Bumps in the Road**

Xander Whitewater stepped out of the alleyway across the street from the Angel Grove Sports Complex, the immense gym where Kimberly Hart taught gymnastics. Several girls could be seen through one of the building's plate-glass windows, practicing their different routines. Xander realized this part of his mission might be aesthetically pleasing, if nothing else. A couple of the girls were rather cute, and _all_ of them were wearing leotards. Not a bad way to start the day.

He tugged lightly on his flannel shirt to make it rest more comfortably across his shoulders, and started across the street. Kim saw him come through the door and rushed to meet him, her warmups making little swishing noises every time she moved her arms and legs. She didn't look happy. Not in the least.

"If you're here for what I think you are, you need to leave," Kim started. She had taken a confrontational stance only about six inches in front of him, and even though he was a full head or so taller than her she was looking fiercely up into his eyes, her lips resolutely pursed together.

"It's not up to me, you know that," he replied. "The Power chooses us, not the other way around. There must be a need for someone just like you."

Kimberly glanced around them, at their surroundings, at her students still diligently practicing. She stepped away from Xander and opened a door to an adjacent office, gesturing for him to enter ahead of her. Once they were both inside Kim locked the door. The office had windows big enough for them to easily see the budding young gymnasts, and Kimberly kept glancing out at them as she spoke, keeping careful watch.

"I told Jason not to do this. The Power Rangers… What you're becoming will consume your life. And once it does the only way to get rid of it is to pass it on to someone else."

Xander appeared confused. "Yeah, but we're supposed to be heroes. I thought that was a good thing, not some insidious evil."

"Yeah, Xander, it is. But it's addictive. And I'm not sure Jason is over the addiction. I knew if he took those Coins under his care he'd be tempted to use them, and I'm sure that if, God forbid, anything should happen to one of you, he'd do what he could to avenge you."

"Is that so wrong, Kim? It sounds kind of noble. Selfless, even."

"If I'm being selfish to want to keep him to myself, I'm sorry. But he promised me we could have a normal life. If he goes off fighting to save the world again, I could lose him."

It all came together in Xander's mind then. He could see Kim was barely holding it together. Her voice had begun to quaver, and when he looked close he noticed that her eyes were wet. She wasn't resentful of the Power. She was afraid for Jason and for the life she had with him.

"Don't worry, Kim," he said softly, looking into her eyes in an attempt to display his sincerity to her. "I'm the Red Ranger now. I'll make you both proud, I promise."

Kim turned away from him, facing the window and pretending to watch her students in earnest. He could barely hear her when she spoke again. "So, which one is it?"

Xander turned toward the window as well, respectfully ignoring Kim's discomfort as he focused on the girls in the leotards, extending his thoughts toward them. He was still figuring out the process, so it took him several moments, but soon he could see a soft aura of light around each of the girls. Most of them were ordinary, simple "white" light surrounding their bodies as they contorted and stretched and twisted like only a gymnast can. But there was one girl, effortlessly performing a set of moves on the balance beam, around whose body glowed a bright pink corona, the mark of an undiscovered Power Ranger.

Xander pointed to the girl on the beam. "That one, there."

Kim sighed and cursed a little under her breath.

"I knew it. Why did it have to be her?"

"Well, if you ask me, it stands to reason that a former Ranger would inspire similar values and strengths in the people around them."

"Yeah, I suppose it does." Kim was pinching the bridge of her nose now, her eyes squeezed shut, as though she were developing a migraine. "Look, I'll find a way to tell her, okay? Just… later. I'm still kind of processing all this."

Seeing her this way, Xander suddenly felt awkward. He couldn't imagine why Kimberly would be reacting so strongly toward all this, but he wanted to be respectful, especially since it was his mentor's girlfriend he was dealing with here. Finally, he nodded.

"Yeah, all right," he said. "We're all meeting at your house this afternoon to talk, so I guess she can meet us there."

Kim answered with a nod of her own, though she didn't turn around until she knew Xander was gone. She continued to watch her students through the window, lost in thought. She wanted to be happy that there was someone to take care of the new threat that was sure to arise as a result of Goldar's return to Earth, but she had a terrible feeling about the whole thing that just wouldn't go away. Trust your instincts, people always said…


End file.
